grounding conductor

[Savoy]

I have given this some serious thought and I can't see what is wrong with this or if anything is wrong. I need someone to explain why this is wrong if it is.

The Scenario.

The main panel was located on the exterior but when they added a garage the panel is now located in the garage. This is no longer the main panel and is nothing more than a large junction box. The main grounding wire is still connected and a copper #6 conductor exits the panel and passes through the concrete. The ground connection is not visible.

The new main panel is located on the exterior of the garage addition and a copper grounding wire is present. It is also a #6 copper conductor and exits the panel and goes into the ground. The ground rod is not visible.

The sub-panel is located on the far end of the home and also has a grounding #6 copper wire exiting the panel box and running about 30 feet where it is connected to the main water line below the shut off valve which is copper. (Copper line all the way to the street.) The sub-panel is grounded/bonded correctly.

Why would all the panel boxes have a grounding conductor and is it wrong? Why? I hate to day something is incorrect if I cannot explain why.

Thanks

Jon

[Brian G]

Jon,

As best I can tell there is nothing wrong with that. The ground in the old main panel was probably left to bond the enclosure. If the wiring configuration is correct in the subpanel they didn't have to ground it to the water pipe, but I can't see how it could hurt at all.

Not being able to see the ground rod is typical here, I just note that in the report.

Brian G.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by Savoy

I have given this some serious thought and I can't see what is wrong with this or if anything is wrong. I need someone to explain why this is wrong if it is.

I'll try.

The Scenario.

The main panel was located on the exterior but when they added a garage the panel is now located in the garage. This is no longer the main panel and is nothing more than a large junction box. The main grounding wire is still connected and a copper #6 conductor exits the panel and passes through the concrete. The ground connection is not visible.

Nothing wrong so far.

The new main panel is located on the exterior of the garage addition and a copper grounding wire is present. It is also a #6 copper conductor and exits the panel and goes into the ground. The ground rod is not visible.

You don't mention whether or not there's a bonding wire to connect the water pipes to the grounding system at the service. It should be there.

The sub-panel is located on the far end of the home and also has a grounding #6 copper wire exiting the panel box and running about 30 feet where it is connected to the main water line below the shut off valve which is copper. (Copper line all the way to the street.) The sub-panel is grounded/bonded correctly.

It's ok to connect the sub-panel's grounding bus to the water pipe, but it can't replace the grounding wire that goes back to the service panel. So, if there were four wires between the service panel and the sub-panel *plus* the wire to the water pipe, that's fine.

Why would all the panel boxes have a grounding conductor and is it wrong? Why? I hate to day something is incorrect if I cannot explain why.

There's nothing wrong with connecting the grounding system to the earth at multiple locations. Around here, it's downright common to see this when there've been additions to a house. However, these connections can't *replace* the connections that are required at the service.

- Jim Katen, Oregon